Excessive credit card surcharges outlawed – The Guardian
“A ban that comes into force on Saturday will ensure that payment surcharges reflect the actual cost of processing the payment.”
The Guardian, 6th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Vegans and druids to gain workplace rights under new equality rules – Daily Telegraph
“Vegetarian or vegan employees with deeply held beliefs should be allowed to exert their rights in the workplace by refusing to clean out office fridges containing meat or dairy products, according to new guidance.”
Daily Telegraph, 7th April 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
How to cut the costs of getting divorced – The Guardian
“Legal aid for the 120,000 couples who divorce in a typical year all but disappears in England and Wales this week, except in cases where domestic violence can be proved. While many are predicting a big increase in DIY divorces, costing as little as £37, the changes have also prompted the arrival of a raft of new fixed-fee legal deals that keep lawyers’ bills below £500.”
The Guardian, 6th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
No legal aid? How to represent yourself in court – BBC News
“The legal profession expects that changes to the legal aid system in England and Wales will lead to a rise in the number of people who have to represent themselves in court.”
BBC News, 6th April 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Kent Council Council pays £700k in compensation to pupils – BBC News
“Nearly £700,000 has been paid out in compensation to pupils by Kent County Council following accidents in schools over the past five years.”
BBC News, 6th April 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Police go back over cases of female genital mutilation – The Independent
“Police and prosecutors are reviewing hundreds of historic cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) in a bid to bring the first prosecution in Britain since the practice was ruled illegal in 1985. Legal experts are already examining six cases referred by police, and scores more are also being considered. Tens of thousands of women and girls in the UK are believed to have been subjected to the horrifying ordeal, which is also known as “cutting”, in which the genitals of women and girls are severed by unqualified people in the belief that it will preserve the victim’s virginity. It can result in infections, infertility and, in extreme cases, death.”
The Independent, 7th April 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Police officer suing petrol station also taking action against force – The Guardian
“A police officer criticised for taking legal action against a petrol station owner after she tripped on a kerb answering a 999 call is also making a claim against her own force, it has been reported.”
The Guardian, 7th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
New migrants will have to wait a year for legal aid – The Guardian
“Foreign nationals are to be denied the right to obtain legal aid for civil cases until they have lived in Britain for at least a year, the justice secretary Chris Grayling will announce this week.”
The Guardian, 7th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk
The Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order 2013
The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2013
The School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013
The Education (Penalty Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013
The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013
The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2013
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
Legal age to buy crackers cut as part of ‘pointless’ red tape rules to be scrapped from tomorrow – The Independent
“Dozens of cuts to red tape will come into force tomorrow, including reducing the age for buying Christmas crackers, saving businesses millions of pounds, the Government has announced.”
The Independent, 5th April 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Rendition report still unpublished nine months after completion – The Guardian
“An official report into Britain’s involvement in rendition and torture since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US has yet to be published more than nine months after it was completed and delivered to David Cameron.”
The Guardian, 4th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
International Children Law Update – Family Law Week
“Jacqueline Renton, Barrister of 4 Paper Buildings, reviews the latest key decisions in international children law.”
Family Law Week, 5th April 2013
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
Should judges be socio-legal scholars? – Speech by Lady Hale
Should judges be socio-legal scholars? (PDF)
Speech by Lady Hale
Socio-Legal Studies Association 2013 Conference, 26th March 2013
Source: www.supremecourt.gov.uk
Britain seeks opt-out of new European social media privacy laws – The Guardian
“‘Right to be forgotten’ laws, giving users – rather than services such as Facebook – control of personal data will save billions of euros and thickets of red tape. So why is Britain resisting?”
The Guardian, 4th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Barratt Homes Ltd v Dŵr Cymru Cyfyngedig (Welsh Water) (No. 2) – WLR Daily
“The breach by a sewerage undertaker of its duty under section 106 of the Water Industry Act 1991 to permit connection of a private sewer to the public sewer did not give rise to a liability in nuisance.”
WLR Daily, 27th March 2013
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Regina v Dawes; Regina v Hatter; Regina v Bowyer – WLR Daily
Regina v Dawes; Regina v Hatter; Regina v Bowyer [2013] EWCA Crim 322; [2013] WLR (D) 130
“For the purposes of the defence of loss of self-control, on a charge of murder, the questions whether the circumstances were extremely grave and whether the defendant’s sense of being seriously wronged by them was justifiable required objective assessment by the judge at the end of the evidence and, if the defence was left, by the jury considering their verdict. They were not to be decided by the defendant on the basis of any assertions he might make in evidence or any account he might give in the investigative process.”
WLR Daily, 26th March 2013
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Lakanal House fire victims’ families seek compensation – BBC News
“The families of the six people who died in the Lakanal House fire are taking legal action for compensation, BBC London has learned.”
BBC News, 4th April 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
BIS issues guidance on what costs can be passed to consumers through payment surcharges – OUT-LAW.com
“The Government has issued guidance that sets out the kind of costs businesses incur that they are legitimately able to claim back through payment surcharging under new rules set to come into force this weekend.”
OUT-LAW.com, 5th April 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
Enforcement of custody in the face of children’s dissent: should law prevail? – UK Human Rights Blog
“This complicated inter-jurisdictional battle between estranged parents is a stark illustration of how difficult it can be in these sorts of cases to apply the law in the fog of family warfare.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 4th April 2013
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
